Executive Function Disorder

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THE BASICS:
  • Executive dysfunction sometimes occurs without any other disorder. executive dysfunction alone can be viewed as a performance disability that can be just as problematic as ADHD or learning disabilities.
  • All children with ADHD have executive weaknesses although the specific profiles vary
  • Many kids with executive dysfunction also have specific learning disabilities, meaning that they have unexpected difficulty learning in some specific content area (e.g., reading or math). However, some kids with weakness in executive functions have academic problems that are a result of their difficulties with the process of learning and performance. It can be hard to distinguish between these two causes of learning problems.
  • Kids with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) typically have a weakness in cognitive flexibility.
  • Executive weaknesses are common in children and adolescents with a range of neurodevelopment, psychiatric, and medical disorders.
- Cooper-Kahn &Diezel
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The executive system is a theorized cognitive system in psychology that controls and manages other cognitive processes. It is responsible for processes that are sometimes referred to as the executive function, executive functions, executive skills, supervisory attentional system, or cognitive control. These functions are largely carried out by prefrontal areas of the frontal lobe.
Executive function is an umbrella term for cognitive processes such as planning, working memory, attention, problem solving, verbal reasoning, inhibition, mental flexibility, multi-tasking, initiation and monitoring of actions.[1]


From: The American Heritage® Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2007, 2004 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
The cognitive process that regulates an individual's ability to organize thoughts and activities, prioritize tasks, manage time efficiently, and make decisions. Impairment of executive function is seen in a range of disorders, including some pervasive developmental disorders and nonverbal learning disabilities.